Steve Schmitt Appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jamie Caulfield to Retire Steve Schmitt Schmitt joins PepsiCo from Walmart, where he currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Walmart U.S., overseeing the finance function for Walmart's multi-billion-dollar omni- channel U.S. organization and leading the core financial activities of Walmart's largest business unit. Schmitt joined Walmart in 2016 and served in multiple leadership positions in the ...

Core Insights - PepsiCo, Inc. is facing challenges in its snack business due to the impact of GLP-1 drugs and changing preferences among younger consumers towards healthier options [1] - Elliott Management has taken a significant stake in PepsiCo, indicating a push for changes within the company, which may be revealed in the upcoming earnings report [1] - Despite recent difficulties for shareholders, PepsiCo's stock currently offers a 4% yield and maintains a strong snack franchise, particularly with its Frito-Lay brand [1] Company Overview - PepsiCo, Inc. is involved in the manufacturing, marketing, and selling of beverages and convenient foods, with well-known brands including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Lay's, Gatorade, Doritos, Quaker, and Cheetos [2]

Core Insights - PepsiCo, Inc. has a market capitalization of $191.6 billion and is a global leader in convenient foods and beverages, operating across seven business segments with well-known brands like Lay's, Doritos, and Gatorade [1] Financial Performance - The company is expected to announce its fiscal Q3 2025 results on October 9, with analysts predicting an adjusted EPS of $2.27, a decline of 1.7% from $2.31 in the same quarter last year [2] - For fiscal 2025, analysts forecast an adjusted EPS of $8.03, down 1.6% from $8.16 in fiscal 2024, but expect a rebound in fiscal 2026 with a projected growth of 5.7% to $8.49 [3] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, PepsiCo shares have decreased by 17.2%, underperforming the S&P 500 Index, which increased by 15.6%, and the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund, which saw a 5.9% decrease [4] - Following the Q2 2025 earnings report, where revenue reached $22.7 billion and adjusted EPS was $2.12, shares rose by 7.5% due to positive investor sentiment regarding management's plans to enhance North American sales [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus rating for PepsiCo stock is "Moderate Buy," with 21 analysts covering the stock: six recommend "Strong Buy," 14 suggest "Hold," and one has "Strong Sell." The average price target is $153.05, indicating a potential upside of nearly 9% from current levels [6]

Core Viewpoint - PepsiCo, Inc. is viewed as a "defensive" investment amid a U.S. economic slowdown, although its defensive nature is less pronounced compared to previous recessions due to high pricing pressures in the Frito-Lay segment [1] Financial Performance - The company is expected to report third-quarter 2025 financial results on October 9, 2025, with an estimated EPS of $2.26 [3] - The analyst has adjusted the organic sales outlook for the IB franchise to flat growth from a previous estimate of 3% year-over-year, resulting in a total company organic sales forecast reduction to 1.8% from 2% [4] Sales and Market Trends - PepsiCo Foods North America is experiencing sluggish sales as it compares against last summer's promotions, with NielsenIQ scanner data showing little change from previous quarters [5] - Frito-Lay is facing challenging comparisons due to July 4 promotions in summer 2024, leading to a "hollowing" of middle-tier price points, while premium and value brands are performing better [6] Analyst Insights - BofA Securities analyst Peter T. Galbo maintains a Neutral rating on PepsiCo with a price target of $150, indicating a balanced approach to growth, dividends, and share repurchases [2] - There is limited risk of further sales or EPS revisions as the quarter has largely unfolded as expected, although core business fundamentals have yet to show signs of reacceleration [4]

Core Viewpoint - PepsiCo is a strong candidate for long-term investment due to its attractive dividend yield and growth potential [1][2]. Dividend Performance - PepsiCo's current dividend yield stands at 4.1%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.2% [1]. - The company has maintained an impressive average annual dividend growth rate of over 7% over the past decade [1]. - The payout ratio is a reasonable 67%, indicating room for further dividend growth [2]. Business Composition - PepsiCo is not solely a beverage company; it also has a substantial snack business with well-known brands like Lay's, Doritos, and Cheetos [4]. - The company is pursuing growth through acquisitions, including the pending acquisition of the prebiotic soda brand Poppi [4]. Valuation and Growth Strategy - The stock's forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 16.5, below its five-year average of 21.9, reflecting a low valuation due to recent stock performance challenges [5]. - PepsiCo is focusing on adapting to changing consumer preferences and is implementing cost-cutting measures [5]. - The company aims for low-single-digit organic revenue growth for fiscal 2025, supported by portfolio innovation and cost optimization initiatives [5].

Core Viewpoint - PepsiCo is experiencing renewed interest from investors, particularly after Elliott Investment Management disclosed a $4 billion stake, suggesting potential for significant upside if the company revitalizes its operations [1][2] Company Overview - PepsiCo is the largest consumer goods company globally, with a market cap of approximately $201 billion, operating in over 200 countries with brands like Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Quaker, and Gatorade [2] - The company has faced challenges in North America due to sluggish demand and changing consumer preferences, leading to a valuation discount compared to competitors like Coca-Cola [2] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, PepsiCo shares have traded between $127.60 and $179.43, with a year-to-date decline of around 2% before a recent surge bringing the stock back to approximately $147 [3] - The stock is currently trading at an 18.5 forward price-earnings ratio and a price-to-sales ratio of 2.2, which are lower than its five-year historical averages [4] Financial Strength - PepsiCo has a return on equity of nearly 58% and maintains stable profitability, indicating financial robustness despite current market conditions [4] - The company has a dividend yield of around 3%, supported by $7.6 billion in scheduled shareholder distributions this year, and has increased its dividend for over 50 consecutive years [5] Recent Earnings Performance - In the second quarter, PepsiCo reported sales of $22.7 billion, exceeding Wall Street estimates, with earnings per share (EPS) of $1.26 also surpassing expectations [6] - The net income for the quarter was $1.26 billion, showing modest growth compared to the previous year, with international strength helping to offset softness in the North American beverage segment [6]

Core Viewpoint - PepsiCo has made significant progress in its sustainability and nutrition goals as part of its pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) initiative, demonstrating a commitment to embedding sustainability into its business operations [1][3][4]. Group 1: Sustainability Goals - The company has spread the adoption of regenerative agriculture, restorative, or protective practices across 3.5 million acres, equivalent to more than two million American football fields [2][5]. - PepsiCo sourced 89% of its global electricity needs for company-owned operations from renewable sources, reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 18% compared to its 2022 baseline [12]. - The company replenished approximately 24 billion liters of water back into local watersheds, equivalent to 9,600 Olympic-sized pools, and has helped over 96 million people gain access to safe water since 2006 [5][12]. Group 2: Nutrition Achievements - PepsiCo achieved two nutritional goals ahead of schedule, with 67% of its beverage portfolio containing fewer than 100 calories from added sugars per 12 oz. serving and 77% of its convenient foods portfolio volume not exceeding 1.3 milligrams of sodium per calorie [5][12]. Group 3: Future Goals - The company aims to drive regenerative agriculture practices across 10 million acres by 2030, roughly the size of Switzerland [6]. - PepsiCo's pep+ initiative is described as an ongoing transformation that integrates sustainability into all aspects of the business, aiming for long-term resilience and value creation [3][9].

Group 1 - PepsiCo will release its third-quarter 2025 financial results on October 9, 2025 [1] - In 2024, PepsiCo generated nearly $92 billion in net revenue, supported by a diverse portfolio of beverages and convenient foods [2] - PepsiCo's product portfolio includes iconic brands that each generate over $1 billion in estimated annual retail sales [2] Group 2 - PepsiCo's vision is to be the global leader in beverages and convenient foods, guided by its pep+ strategy focused on sustainability and human capital [3] - The company aims to create value and growth while operating within planetary boundaries [3] - For further information, PepsiCo encourages following its social media channels [3] Group 3 - The financial results will be accompanied by prepared management remarks and a live Q&A session for analysts [5] - The press release and 10-Q will be available at approximately 6:00 a.m. EDT on the release date [5] - The live Q&A session will feature the Chairman and CEO, Ramon Laguarta, and the EVP and CFO, Jamie Caulfield, at 8:15 a.m. EDT [5]

Core Viewpoint - Consumer staple companies may benefit from higher inflation due to their ability to pass on cost increases to customers, but consumer resistance to price hikes is a concern [2]. Group 1: PepsiCo - PepsiCo's second-quarter revenue increased by 2%, driven entirely by higher prices, which contributed 4 percentage points, while lower volume subtracted about 1.5 percentage points [5]. - Adjusted operating income for PepsiCo fell by 3%, indicating that price hikes were insufficient to offset rising costs [5]. - PepsiCo's share price dropped by 16.9% over the past year, contrasting with a 16.8% gain in the S&P 500 index during the same period [6]. - The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for PepsiCo increased from 19 to 26, which is still lower than the S&P 500's P/E of 30, suggesting potential for patient investors [7]. Group 2: Procter & Gamble - Procter & Gamble's fiscal third-quarter adjusted sales grew by only 1%, with higher prices accounting for the entire increase and volumes remaining flat [9]. - In the fourth quarter, adjusted sales increased by 2%, with higher prices and mix each contributing 1 percentage point, while volume remained constant [10]. - Procter & Gamble's stock price decreased by 7.9% over the past year, and its P/E multiple contracted from 28 to less than 25 [10].

Core Insights - Both PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have reported anemic growth due to declining demand for soda and snack foods, with Q2 revenue increases of 1% attributed to price hikes offsetting slight sales drops [1][7] - Coca-Cola's Q2 net income rose to $3.8 billion from $2.4 billion year-over-year, while PepsiCo's net income fell to $1.3 billion from $3.1 billion, primarily due to a $1.9 billion impairment charge [8][9] - PepsiCo offers a higher dividend yield of approximately 3.8% compared to Coca-Cola's 2.9%, making it potentially more attractive for income-focused investors [12][16] Company Comparisons - Both companies are diversified beverage holdings with a range of products including juices, coffees, teas, and waters, and have entered the alcohol market with new offerings [4][5] - The shift towards healthier ingredients has impacted sales, particularly for PepsiCo, which is responding by producing cane sugar versions of its flagship colas [6] - Despite Coca-Cola's recent stock outperformance, PepsiCo's lower forward P/E ratio of 18 compared to Coca-Cola's 23 suggests it may be a more cost-effective investment [11][15] Investment Considerations - Both companies are considered Dividend Kings, having a long history of annual dividend increases, but PepsiCo's stronger yield may appeal more to dividend investors [12][14] - The iconic brands of both companies are expected to drive sales growth in the long term, but PepsiCo's revenue diversification from its snack business provides an additional advantage [15][16] - Overall, PepsiCo appears to offer a slight edge for shareholders due to its higher dividend returns and lower valuation metrics [14][16]